Gnome/Nautilus will popup the usual dialog to select an application for the camera (folder/gthumb/gThumb Import). Nautilus will open a URL llke gphoto2://[usb:001,009]/ containing a directory DCIM/Camera with the pictures and movies. Then you can copy files simply by drag and drop. This is working out-of-box on SL6.4 64-bit and CentOS 6.4 32-bit. Nothing else than I would expect from a digital camera or a smartphone in camera mode.

MTP mode would give you full access to the SD card of the phone, but it is not suppurted by SL/CentOS6 and also has problems in other current Linux distributions. For alternative and more complex methods to transfer files, see e.g. [HOWTO] Mount Nexus 4 in Linux

I'm the one that suggested that. The OP is getting frustrated at the difficulty in doing some things that are quite simpler in more up to date systems. For example for that poster, mtpfs, which used to work for them no longer works. (Actually, it seems to have stopped working, at least on mp3s, for me too.)

On Arch, or Fedora, with a minimal install, I can just install jmtpfs on Arch or simple-mtpfs on Fedora, and done. Plug in phone, leave it at defaults, I can mount and transfer. Trying on GUI default Lubuntu even easier, plug in phone and it shows up.

When I first got the phone, I'd seen that camera method listed somwhere.

I go to settings=> storage. No option for USB. But once I connect, I have an option to change it to camera. So, I do that.

However, I'm not running Gnome. And I don't see any way to mount it.

So, now I go to a CentOS box that does have Gnome. Try it again. Still nothing.

This is a Samsung Galaxy SIII, and I'm not even sure what it's running. But, with any other system that is running a more current version of Linux, I don't even have to worry, it Just Works..

And that is why I suggested to the OP, that for their needs, which are basic desktop needs, they might be better off using something else.

For some people for sure, although I don't understand why these newer phones have stopped supporting USB mass storage mode (seems a pretty stupid idea to me to stop supporting that), my old 'non-smart' phone supports it and works just fine with Centos/SL.

I tried that and it showed. However, like the OP had discovered some time back, the directories would show, but not their contents. That is, I could see the phone and the directory, for example, Ringtones, on the phone. However, if I opened Ringtones, it showed as empty. Andrew, did you investigate that you could transfer to and from directories on the phone?

Andrew, did you investigate that you could transfer to and from directories on the phone?

No, well not till you mentioned it. Just as you mentioned, I now can not transfer to and from and the directories are visable but the contents are not. There is a popup on the phone that says something like no software on your pc that can recognize your device. go to samsung.com/kies to download PC Kies. I have not done that to see if there is a linux version yet.

Well, the solution that worked for me was to manually download and compile mtpfs. However, it only worked on one of three machines where I tried it.

Going back to the first post in this thread, this is the reason I suggested that the OP use another distribution. It can be done, one way or another, possibly with Kies, possibly with someone else. In the same way, I can install (I think) Libreoffice 4.04. which will open these documents my wife sends me. (Nope, not divorce papers) However, it's more work than it is on Fedora, Ubuntu, or Mint. In both cases, as neither one is something that I do very often, it's probably just easier to put in a small VM of say, Lubuntu (I pick that because it's lighter on resources), and use that for these things.

My point is just that for some newcomers, there are going to be limitations when one uses CentOS, SL, or another distribution that emphasizes stability over other things. It makes it a bit more difficult to use as a desktop than Mint, Ubuntu, or Fedora when it's working properly.

On the SL forum, I don't think it's necessary to go into any detail about what the advantages of using older, but well tested software, especially in a business environment. We all know the advantages, or we wouldn't be here.)

When I first got the phone, I'd seen that camera method listed somwhere.

I go to settings=> storage. No option for USB. But once I connect, I have an option to change it to camera. So, I do that.

However, I'm not running Gnome. And I don't see any way to mount it.

So, now I go to a CentOS box that does have Gnome. Try it again. Still nothing.

This is a Samsung Galaxy SIII, and I'm not even sure what it's running....

Android 4.2.2 on Nexus 4 offers a menu in Settings->Storage, upper right corner (3 dots), see 1st screenshot with one entry "USB-Connection" where you can set the USB connection mode persistently. This can easily be overlooked. But it may be missing on Samsung Galaxy phones (I have no Galaxy to check). In this case I would regard it as a Samsung problem/bug.

(I have downloaded both screenshots from Android to SL6 by the method described in my 1st post)

4.2.x isn't yet available for the Galaxy SIII as far as I can tell. A very quick google indicated one possibility of it coming out in July, though I suspect that isn't happening, otherwise November. Apparently part of the reason is to not hurt sales of some newer phones.

At any rate, the 4.1.x seems to have the same thing, connect as MTP or Camera, but as seen through the thread, it doesn't consistently work for everyone.

Using Google account (like Gmail, Google Play ) to help transfer contacts from android to another phone. So make sure you have backed up your Android phone. Go to Settings on your Android phone and choose "Accounts and Sync" or similar. Enter your GMail account details and enable synchronisation. Your android phone contacts will synchronise Google Contacts .

I also used Mobiledic phone transfer program to transfer contacts from my Android to iPhone 6s. it works for all types of files like messages, contacts, photos, videos, apps, and more...

Using Google account (like Gmail, Google Play ) to help transfer contacts from android to another phone. So make sure you have backed up your Android phone. Go to Settings on your Android phone and choose "Accounts and Sync" or similar. Enter your GMail account details and enable synchronisation. Your android phone contacts will synchronise Google Contacts .

I also used Mobiledic phone transfer program to transfer contacts from my Android to iPhone 6s. it works for all types of files like messages, contacts, photos, videos, apps, and more...

Using Google account (like Gmail, Google Play ) to help transfer contacts from android to another phone. So make sure you have backed up your Android phone. Go to Settings on your Android phone and choose "Accounts and Sync" or similar. Enter your GMail account details and enable synchronisation. Your android phone contacts will synchronise Google Contacts .

I also used Mobiledic phone transfer program to transfer contacts from my Android to iPhone 6s. it works for all types of files like messages, contacts, photos, videos, apps, and more...

Using Google account (like Gmail, Google Play ) to help transfer contacts from android to another phone. So make sure you have backed up your Android phone. Go to Settings on your Android phone and choose "Accounts and Sync" or similar. Enter your GMail account details and enable synchronisation. Your android phone contacts will synchronise Google Contacts .

I also used Mobiledic phone transfer program to transfer contacts from my Android to iPhone 6s. it works for all types of files like messages, contacts, photos, videos, apps, and more...